Tag: ham

Curried Vegetable Couscous with Ham

Curried Vegetable Couscous with Ham

Curried Vegetable Couscous with Ham

  • Servings: 4 - 6
  • Difficulty: Easy
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Healthy eating does not have to consist of boring and tasteless food items it can be as tasty as you want it to be…. all you need is a little imagination and the right seasonings.

I decided on this recipe mainly because I had some Couscous in the cupboard that I needed to use and the Curry because Couscous on it’s own is tasteless and bland. As for the ham???   I like ham however you can use anything else you wish or leave it out for a healthy vegetarian dish.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 1 1/2 cups Couscous
  • 1 1/2 cups Sodium reduced Chicken Stock
  • 2 cups diced Ham
  • 2 cups frozen mixed Vegetables
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Butter
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons Curry powder
  • 2 tablespoons Turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • Fresh Ground Pepper to taste

Putting it all together:

  1. In a medium stock pot combine the chicken stock, curry, turmeric and butter and bring to a boil.
  2. Mix in the couscous, cover and let stand off the heat for 10 minutes.
  3. While the couscous is standing heat the vegetables in a separate pot of water.
  4. Combine the couscous, vegetables, salt and pepper mixing well. Adjust the seasonings.
  5. Plate and top with the diced ham.
  6. Enjoy.

Cooks note: You can heat the diced ham or leave it cold.

There you have it another “simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”

Until next time…….

                           Bon Appetit

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Bacon Wrapped Cordon Bleu Chicken Thighs

 

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Bacon Wrapped Cordon Bleu Chicken Thighs

  • Servings: 8
  • Difficulty: easy
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“your body is not a temple, it’s an amusement park. Enjoy the ride.”
― Anthony Bourdain

 

I’m not entirely certain that the above quote is appropriate here since Chef Bourdain is considered the “Bad Boy” of restaurant kitchens due to his addictions to various and sundry substances however I tend to agree that in the world of food you definitely should “Enjoy the ride.”

This particular recipe is a playful take on the classic “Cordon Bleu” and with the addition of Bacon how can you go wrong? Now for this one I decided to use chicken thighs since they are inexpensive and if you get skin on/bone in and then skin them/debone them yourself you can certainly save money.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 8 Skin Skinless/Bonless Chicken Thighs
  • 8 slices Deli Ham
  • 8 slices Swiss Cheese
  • 8 Slices Smoked Bacon
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Putting it all together:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
  2. Lay the chicken thigh “shiny” side down on a cutting board and sprinkle the inside with salt and pepper.
  3. Layer a piece of ham topped with Swiss cheese on the chicken.
  4. Put the chicken on a piece of bacon and fold until the bacon meets.
  5. Put the chicken, seam side down, on a baking tray and place in the oven for about 35 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°.
  6. Enjoy.

There you have it another “simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”

Until next time……..

                         Bon Appetit

Baked Mexican Breakfast Bars

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Baked Mexican Breakfast Bars

  • Servings: 10-12
  • Difficulty: easy
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What nicer thing can you do for somebody than make them breakfast?

Anthony Bourdain

While breakfast is said to be the most important meal of the day it can also be the most challenging one to make. I mean how many times can you have bacon and eggs or pancakes with bacon or French toast with bacon before you get tired of it and want something completely different?—- okay let’s be serious…. NO ONE ever gets tired of bacon but you get my drift.

This was the conundrum I found myself in this morning and as I remembered reading about this kind of dish recently I set out to make it and of course put my own spin on it.

These are also great to freeze and use on days when you are in a hurry because you can just heat and run.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 3 cups diced Ham
  • 1 medium white Onion – diced
  • 1 cup chopped Asparagus spears
  • 1 8 ounce can Corn kernals – drained
  • 1 8 ounce can Black beans – drained and rinsed
  • 10 large Eggs 
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated Garlic
  • 2 tablespoons Chipotle powder
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons dried Parsley
  • Salsa – (optional)
  • 1 9 x 12 x 1/12 Mini loaf pan

Putting it all together:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 375°. While the oven is heating mix the eggs in a 4 cup measuring cup and set aside.
  2. In a large non reactive bowl mix all the remaining ingredients.
  3. Spray the loaf pan with a non stick spray, spoon the ham and veggie mix equally into the mini loaf pan.
  4. Pour enough eggs into each slot to just cover the mix and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
  5. Remove from the oven and serve with salsa if using.

There you have it “another simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”

Until next time………..

                            Bon Appetit

 

Cuban sandwich

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When most people think of Cuba they think of Sandy beaches, Mojitos, Cigars, the U.S. embargo and of course Castro.

Me… I’m weird. I think of Classic cars (or they could be with some work) great people and of course absolutely killer food. Fabulous dishes like Paella Valenciana (chicken ,rice and seafood) or Chuletas de Puerco Ahumadas (smoked pork chops) or what has become one of my all-time favorite sandwiches….. Sandwiche Cubano—– The CUBAN SANDWICH.

When it comes to “simple but tasty” recipes this is one that is sure to deliver.

Ingredients:

–         4 slices of ham

–         4 slices roast pork (always better if you slow roast it yourself)

–         3 slices of Swiss cheese

–         3 or 4 pickle slices

–         Yellow mustard (not spicy or dijon)

–         Cuban bread hard crust (or French bread)

–         Garlic butter or spread

Method:

–         If you can get your hands on fresh, crusty Cuban bread, that would work best. But if not, you can also use a 12 to 16 inch loaf of French Bread, cut in half.

–         Cut the ends off of the French bread and reserve for making bread crumbs.

–         Cut the loaf in half to make two six inch sandwiches and then cut the loaf lengthwise.

–          Spread the garlic butter on both halves of the bread and lay garlic butter side down in a hot pan to toast

–         When the bread is toasted build the sandwich in this fashion: Spread mustard on both sides of the bread then layer the Ham, Pork, Swiss cheese and pickles then top with the other half of the bread.

–         Put the sandwich in a Panini press until crispy on the outside

–         Cut on the bias and enjoy

Now if you are like me and do not have a Panini Press but you do have a Grill Pan (see kitchen gadgets) then simply heat the grill pan on the stove and weigh the sandwich down with something heavy—- like a brick wrapped in several layers of tin foil. Doing this will give you the same “grill” marks that a Panini press would and it helps with the presentation of the sandwich. Serve with your favorite side.

There you have it…. A “simple but tasty” recipe that is sure to make your taste buds soar.

                             Bon Appetit